


Sewing Scissors and Throwing Knives

by KatherineF



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Andreil, Design AU, Embroiderer Andrew, Fashion Designer Neil, M/M, Neil kept running after his mother died, Soft Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, canon adjacent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-10-05 10:37:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20487527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatherineF/pseuds/KatherineF
Summary: What would have happened if Neil stopped playing Exy? If he kept running after his mother died?Neil Josten is working as a janitor at Palmetto State University when he gets the opportunity to work as a fashion designer for an up and coming brand. It's a dream come true, if it wasn't such a public position and if he wasn't still running from his father and the Moriyama's.Aka, the Fashion Designer AU that no one asked for but I couldn't help but write.





	1. Alli Rey

**Author's Note:**

> I came up with the idea to write this fic ages ago, and I finally bit the bullet! I will be putting any sewing or design terms that you may not know in the notes at the end.  
I will be updating this fic once a week, so stay tuned!

There’s something about empty public spaces. The feeling that comes from being the only person in a building that’s meant to hold thousands is eerie and calming all at once. Neil Josten loves his job for this aspect, and this aspect alone.  
The less enjoyable part of the job was the more important part: cleaning after other peoples messes. Neil’s been working at Palmetto State as a janitor for 3 weeks now, and he’s become very aware of how messy people are.  
Despite the obvious drawbacks to his current situation, he feels at home here. This could be a dangerous feeling and no one is more aware of that than Neil himself, but he can’t help himself but cling to the small comfort that is having a key to somewhere. Having a key means he belongs, that he’s not only allowed but desired in the building.  
It’s been 15 years since Neil first started running, 7 since he’s been on his own without his mothers company and harsh words. He never thought that he would make it past the age of 20, but here he is. Maybe not living, but alive for the moment.

Neil is achingly grateful for the fact that he’s usually in charge of the Art wing of the university. It’s one of the least liked areas due to extreme amount of mess that appears every single day, which is why the newbie got it, but Neil was okay with cleaning literally anything as long as it kept him away from the Exy court. Exy carried far too many memories, most of them negative.  
Today was different though. Through a series of unfortunate events (the person who usually cleaned it was sick, their backup won’t come in, etc) the court has been given to Neil to handle. This is the other most hated area to clean, thanks to the mess that’s left after games.  
The past few hours have passed in a blur with Neil counting in different languages and using various other coping mechanisms to keep his head firmly in the now. His fingers itch for a pencil and paper. He doesn’t have any grand ideas, but sketching out his thoughts has always been soothing, which is why he began it in the first place.  
The facts are these: after the fateful night when he scrimmaged with Kevin and Riko and his mother took him away, he decided that Exy maybe wasn’t as enjoyable as he initially thought. This opinion was hammered into place 8 years later, right after his mom died. He had been grieving and stupid and passionate, and decided that attending just one year of university for Fashion Design couldn’t possibly hurt. Somehow Riko found him near the end of the year, and he was ‘invited’ to spend two weeks with the Raven’s. Neil hasn’t touched a racket since then, and at the moment he has no desire to.  
This particular court couldn’t be more opposite to the one in Edgar Allen, but something about the scent and the sound of his footsteps echoing in the court brought memories that he would rather forget right to the front of his mind.

He’s almost done when it gets to be too much. The lights, the empty bleachers, all of it together is just enough to push Neil over the edge. His skin feels like it’s two sizes too small, his whole body is itchy and he’s overly aware of exactly where each scar starts and ends. Not only does his skin not fit, but now his ribs seem to be shrinking, forcing much needed air out of his lungs.  
Neil drops the massive mop where it is and practically runs out of the stadium into the foyer, desperate for air and a break. It’s not until he makes it outside that his ribs start to go back to their normal size. He had grabbed his bag during his panicked escape (the duffle that he still brings everywhere he goes. He has a small apartment to put it in, but there’s no way he can trust anyone enough to just leave it there), and he fumbles for his sketchbook and pencil case. His hands ache from work, but the sound of pencil scratching on paper is so comforting that he can easily ignore the discomfort.  
He isn’t trying to do anything groundbreaking, just drawing out idea after idea for fun. He draws suits with unique pockets and prints in fun places, dresses with elegant coats and dresses made out of fabrics with stupid prints on them. He goes through five pages of tiny drawings before his heart settles down and he stops jumping every time the light from the lamppost flickers.  
It’s torturous to go back into the empty building to finish. Neil goes as quickly as he can and sprints home with his duffle clutched to his chest. 

Morning sun makes the little apartment cozier than it is, though not by much. He’s been living here for three weeks, and he’s not expecting to be here for any longer than a month from now. Neil never buys anything more than what he deems absolutely necessary. Most of that fits into his duffle. Whatever doesn’t will be left behind, such as the duvet set that he got on sale at Target.  
Another perk of the janitorial job is the hours: he doesn’t start until 10 pm, so he can avoid most human life a good deal of the time.  
Even though he works late, Neil can’t kick the habit of waking up early. It’s only 7 am and he’s wide awake and ready for a run. He does a quick check of the apartment to make sure that everything is in its place and ready to go if he needs to leave at a moments notice. This is when he notices that one very important item is missing. The sketchbook that has been Neil’s lifeline for the past year is nowhere to be found. With a sinking feeling, he realizes that he must have left it outside after his panic attack last night.

His running routes are always random but well thought out, to avoid getting jumped. Unfortunately, today’s route has to be to the university so Neil can find his sketchbook (if he was a praying man, he would pray, that’s how desperate he is to get it back). The university is a terrible place to run, since it’s so crowded and there are so many campus security around. It takes twice the amount of time to get to the court now than it does at night.  
The sketchbook isn’t where he left it last night. Neil scours the outside of the building, even checking the garbage bins. With a sigh, he decides to go inside as a last ditch effort.  
Logically Neil knows that it isn’t a necessity, so he really shouldn’t be heading straight into a trigger for it, but this sketchbook holds more information about him than almost anything else (other than the binder that sits at the bottom of his duffle). The black book practically has his soul in it, lame as that sounds. After that year in the Design program, Neil hasn’t shown anyone any of his designs. Not that he’s had anyone to show, but still. It’s a private thing, and not knowing where it is makes him feel vulnerable.  
As expected, the university Exy team is practicing when Neil goes inside. He can hear shouts coming from the court where he stands in the room that holds the TV and couches. Keeping one ear in the direction of the court, Neil starts methodically going through the room. He’s checking under one of the couches when the soft sound of a footfall makes him reel around.  
Standing in the entrance to the room is a man around the age of his father. His wife beater shows off tattoos that cover his arms. They’re intricate and Neil would think they were beautiful if they weren’t attached to the person blocking one of his exits. The person who looks strong and a little bit pissed off, who reminds Neil of his father for no reason other than his age.  
“Who the hell are you and how did you get into my court?” the man says. Neil flinches when he takes a step into the room.  
“Janitor. Keys,” Neil says, holding up his key ring for the university. He stands up and takes a careful step back, eyes darting to the other exits in the room.  
The mans posture softens, though his face still looks suspicious. “As far as I know, no one called for a janitor.”  
Neil considers just leaving without answering. But he really wants his sketchbook back. And maybe the man knows where it is. “I left something here last night.”  
The mans eyes gleam and Neil has an uncomfortable feeling that today might turn out much differently than he was expecting it to go.  
“The something you left doesn’t happen to be a black sketchbook, does it?”  
Neil takes another step back and nods. The man grins and jerks a finger toward the office door, where he must have come out of. “I found it outside this morning when I got here. I was flipping through it to see if there was a name of the owner and I saw your drawings. They’re good.”  
Goosebumps raise on Neils arms when he hears that this man looked through his book. He knows that he had a legitimate reason to look inside, but anger still rises up.  
“I didn’t realize that you were an art connoisseur,” Neil snarks, trying to avoid thinking about someone looking at his art without his permission.  
The man snorts. “I’m really not. But my son knows a lot about those kind of things, and I’ve picked up a thing or two from him. I’m Wymack, the coach of the Foxes.”  
That is just really too bad, Neil thinks. He was really enjoying getting to stay here, and now he has to leave a month earlier than he was planning to.  
The thing is, Neil knows exactly who Wymack is. After his little scrimmage with Kevin and Riko, he kept a close eye on Kevin. He wasn’t stalking him or anything, just checking up on the poor kid who had to see his father do such terrible things. He heard about Kevin’s injured hand almost as soon as the press heard about it. Not long after that, it came to light that David Wymack, coach of the Palmetto State Foxes, was his biological father. Kevin faded from the Exy scene a few months after that when it became clear that he was giving up the sport and Neil stopped checking on him.  
Wymack is watching Neils internal breakdown carefully and he shifts to the side so he isn’t blocking the exit anymore. If Neil wants to leave, he can, but he’ll have to get in arms length of Wymack. They have a silent staredown while Neil decides on his course of action. Wymack speaks before a decision can be made.  
“I hope you don’t mind, but your work was really impressive. I’m not an expert or anything, but I would like to think that I’m pretty good at spotting talent.”  
“What are you hoping I don’t mind?”  
Wymack scratches the back of his neck, the first time that he’s looked anything but confident. “Well, as I said, my son knows quite a bit about that sort of stuff. Actually, he’s a designer. At Alli Rey, the fashion company. And I sent him a few photos of your sketches.”  
Neil’s stomach plummets through the floor. Unless Wymack has another mysterious son, he just sent his artwork to Kevin Day. Neil had no idea that Kevin was a designer now, he didn’t even know that Kevin was interested in that.  
Neil tries to school his emotions and makes a beeline to the exit, tensed just in case Wymack decides to try to stop him.  
“He was really impressed.” Wymack says, and Neil freezes.  
“You had no right to go through my things, or to send them to anyone.”  
Wymack doesn’t even have the decency to look guilty. “He wants you to intern at Alli Rey, he thinks you have potential.”  
“I don’t want that.”  
“Why not? It’s a great opportunity, and you’re obviously passionate about it.”  
“I don’t need your help.”  
Wymack raises an eyebrow. “Maybe I wasn’t trying to help you, maybe I was trying to help Kevin. The company needs another designer, and he thinks you would be a good fit.”  
Neil searches for a legitimate excuse to decline an offer that in any other world would be like a fairy tale. “I’m not good enough to work with Kevin Day.”  
Wymack looks almost pleased with himself. “I never said his name. The fact that you know who he is is proof enough that you’re passionate. And who cares if you think your good enough or not? Kevin thinks you are. And he doesn’t say things like that lightly.”  
“I just came back for my sketchbook. If you could give it to me and let me leave, that would be great.”  
Neil can tell that Wymack is analyzing him. He has been this whole time. Finally, Wymack sighs and his shoulders slump a bit. He looks exhausted. “Is there a reason that you’re trying to push away an amazing opportunity that you want to take?”  
“Who says I want to take it?”  
“I recognize that look from my Foxes. Do you know how I chose players for the team?”  
Neil shakes his head no, even though he’s heard tons about the damaged players who are recruited for Palmetto’s Exy team. He wants to hear Wymacks side of it.  
“Everyone here has a bad past. The team isn’t about the sport as much as it is about second chances. Second, third, fiftieth. As long as it’s one more chance than the rest of the world wants to give you. Taking this offer could be your chance.”  
“You don’t even know my name.”  
“I know that you’re skilled, that you did a hell of a good job cleaning up last night, and that you have the same look in your eyes that most of my Foxes do.”  
Neil straightens his spine like that might prove that he isn’t broken, that he’s different than the aggressive team that’s currently arguing in the court.  
“Look, you don’t have to answer right away. Just think about it.” Wymack turns around to rummage around in the office for a moment. He comes back out with the sketchbook and Neil feels a spark of relief at seeing it in one piece. “I left Kevin’s number on a sticky note on the front. Take the week, he’ll give you until Friday to decide.”  
Neil snatches the book out of Wymacks hand and speed walks out of the building, breaking into a sprint the minute he’s out of Wymacks sight.


	2. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick recap of last chapter: Wymack finds Neils sketchbook and sends photos of his designs to Kevin, who offers him an apprenticeship. Neil has to decide whether his desire to see one of his designs come to life trumps his fear of his father finding him. 
> 
> Thank you everyone who read last chapter and left kudos! I appreciate every single one

After a restless night Neil is sick of thinking about Wymack and his stupid, too good to be true proposal. And he is especially sick of the fact that he knows exactly what he’s going to do. He knew before he even left the university yesterday, but that doesn’t make his choice any better or easier to deal with.  
The truth it, Neil is exhausted. There is only so long that a human being can go without friendly interaction, and he’s been alone for so long. Every time someone gets too close, he leaves. It was bad enough when he was with his mother, but the past 7 years have been harder than Neil ever thought that they could be.   
There is a pretty solid chance that Kevin won’t recognize him: Neil’s hair is black and his eyes are a dull brown now, and it’s been so many years that even if his hair and eye colour were the same he doubts that Kevin would have remembered. Although, it was a pretty traumatic event so that might have hammered home some details that would usually be lost to time.  
And if Kevin does recognize him? Neil figures that he’s been running on borrowed time for a while now. He might as well go out with a bang, and it would be nice to be known as someone with potential. It would be nice to be known at all. So far he’s imagined that his death will be covered up and no one will remember. An unknown body found in the ditch outside of a small American town maybe, or perhaps he will never be found and his name will be forgotten along with his mothers.

The sticky note with Kevin’s number on it that Wymack left on the sketchbook is jarringly orange. It almost makes Neil smile, how it matches the unreasonably bright shade that is on the team jerseys.  
Neil is standing in the parking lot of a bus station that looks like it’s been around longer than buses have. He’s facing a telephone booth--something that is not easy to find nowadays, but Neil doesn’t want to buy himself a phone just for one call. Plus, this way he is harder to trace. Just in case.  
Taking a deep breathe, Neil steps into the enclosed space and starts dialing. He holds the phone up to his ear and clutches at his sketchbook like it’s his lifeline. At the moment, it kind of is.  
The phone of the other end rings, and rings, and rings. Neil is just about to give up and pretend none of this happened when a gruff voice answers the phone.  
“What?” the voice says, talking over the sound of arguing and faint music in the background.  
“Is this Kevin Day?” Neil asks after a panicked pause.  
“Yes. Who is this?” There is murmuring in the background and Neil can barely hear Kevin say ‘no, it’s from a payphone I think’. Neil speaks before he can continue the side conversation.  
“This is… Neil. Neil Josten. You’re father gave me your number.”  
“Oh! Oh, you’re the one with the sketchbook.”  
“Yes.”  
“Why didn’t you call yesterday?”  
Neil blinks in surprise. “Wymack said I had until Friday to answer. It’s only Wednesday.”  
“Yes, but no one waits for opportunities like this. Everyone wants what I am offering you.” Kevin sounds irritated, or maybe stressed. Neil tries to put this voice together with the smiling picture from the Exy magazines he used to be in. The two do not mesh.  
“Well I had to think about it. Is your offer still up or not?”  
“That’s ridiculous. Why did you have to think about it?”  
Neil gives him a similar bullshit answer that he gave Wymack yesterday. “I didn’t think I was good enough to work with Kevin Day.”  
Kevin snorts. “You aren’t. But I still want you to. If you listen to me, do everything I tell you to do, I think that you could be good.”  
“So the offer still stands?”  
“You’re in Palmetto? I’ll book your plane ticket. Since I obviously can’t send you the information on this number, I’ll send it to Wymack. It’s up to you to get it.”  
“So the offer still stands?” Neil says, feeling rather irritable. All this time he was worried about Kevin recognizing him and it turns out that he should be more worried about dealing with Kevins attitude.  
“Yes. We’re flying you out next week.”  
The line goes dead and it occurs to Neil that he isn’t actually sure where he’s going yet. 

Wymack hadn’t been smug about Neil crawling back for a plane ticket. Instead, he seemed quite pleased about the whole thing.   
Now that Neil is in the John F. Kennedy airport in New York waiting for one of Kevin’s people to pick him up he is starting to regret every single decision that he’s made since his mothers death. Actually, he’s regretting every decision he’s ever made. Ever.  
It’s the blank look that draws Neils eye rather than a sign indicating who should pick him up. Neil had done some research this week in between panic attacks, so it’s easy to recognize the man standing in front of him. According to the fashion magazines, Andrew Minyard has been pretty much glued to Kevin’s side since they went to Design school together after Kevin broke his hand and flew the Nest. Andrew is now an infamous addition to the fashion world--his skill with embroidery is often ignored in favour of talking about his tragic past and terrifying demeanour.  
Now that Neil is seeing him in real life, he can see that Andrew doesn’t look like much at first glance. 5 foot even with pale hair and a blank gaze, Andrew is much more dangerous than he comes across. His time in juvie, a legally required drug induced mania that occurred after nearly beating four men to death with his bare hands, and the assault that ended the drugs during his time in university are all well documented. The only thing that keeps reporters from asking Andrew about these events is the terror that they won’t survive the encounter.  
“Bags?” Andrew asks once they’ve both looked each other over.  
“This is it.” Neil says, pointing to his well worn duffle.  
Andrew shrugs and walks away, assuming that Neil will follow him. Neil follows him.

It’s not until they’re sitting in an obviously expensive car that Andrew speaks again. He’s smoking a cigarette with the window open, the vehicle still parked in the underground parking at the airport.  
Neil holds himself absolutely still to make sure that Andrew doesn’t notice how badly he wants to get away from the airport.  
“Kevin says Wymack recruited you,” Andrew says in a bland tone.  
“I don’t think ‘recruit’ is the right word. I forgot my sketchbook at the court and Wymack kidnapped it. Then sent photos of it to Kevin.” Neil hopes that he could mask some of the disdain at being slightly forced into this opportunity. Andrews glance at him says otherwise.  
Andrew doesn’t respond to that, just stubs out his cigarette and starts driving.  
Neil is on high alert throughout the drive, his eyes tracking every sign that they pass. Andrew doesn’t even look at him again until they get to what Neil assumes is the studio.  
Despite the brand getting more and more popular, the building is bland and unassuming. Neil guesses that this is just an office, that clients wouldn’t normally come here.   
The area that it’s located in is obviously high end, with the buildings all new and built in modern and stylish ways. The one that Andrew leads them to doesn’t stand out, but the closer they get the more Neil can see how tastefully expensive it is.  
There are two men standing outside waiting for them when the car pulls over and Neil gets out. Both are significantly taller than Neil. He maps out an escape in his head, hoping that their height would slow them in a fight.  
Neither seem to notice his hesitation. The shorter one of the two beams and pulls Neil in for a hug, one that he extricates himself from as soon as he can.   
“Kevin didn’t say you were so attractive! This is seriously going to be so much fun, Kev never lets anyone have any kind of control. Except for Andrew, sometimes, but never over the designs! I’m still in shock that he wanted another designer here, this is crazy,” the man babbles.   
The taller one beside him looks just as thrilled, but he’s calmer and just offers a hand to shake to Neil.  
“I’m Matt Boyd, and this is Nicky. Dan wanted to be the one to meet you first,” Matt sends a significant look to Andrew, “but it’s a little hectic right now with a client fitting. You know how it is.”  
Neil does not, in fact, ‘know how it is’. But he gives a little nod to let Matt know that he’s following.  
Andrew starts into the building and the others follow him. Neil wonders about the control comment that Nicky made about Kevin allowing Andrew to have some.  
“Dan, Danielle Wilds, is head seamstress,” Matt explains as they walk.  
Nicky buts in. “And she keeps us all together when it gets stressful. And she’s Matts girlfriend.”  
Matt takes over again, a small smile on his face. “I’m lead pattern drafter, Nicky here is in the Marketing department--”  
“And Andrews cousin,” Nicky sings. Andrew gives him a rude gesture without turning around to look at them. Neil sends a quick glance between the two of them. Where Andrew is pale in every way, with his blond hair and nearly translucent, Nicky is the complete opposite. His tan skin and dark eyes make a stark contrast between the two, and his hair is curly while Andrew’s is straight. Nicky must notice Neil’s confusion because he explains quickly.  
“I know! Doesn’t look like it, does it? My mom was ‘rescued’ during one of dads missionary trips in Mexico. I got moms colouring.”  
“Why are you greeting me if you’re in marketing?” Neil asks.  
Matt laughs at his blunt approach. “Nicky always does, it makes new employees feel a little more at ease. Especially when Andrew picks them up.”  
Andrew is waiting for them to get to the elevator. If the comment bothers him, he shows no sign of it.   
Neil clutches his duffle a little closer as they all pile into the elevator. No one mentions it, but Nicky does raise an eyebrow at the ratty bag.  
“Anyway, I’ll introduce you to everyone else once we get to the floor. Like I said, it’s been a little crazy right now so we won’t be able to ease you into anything.” Matt gives him a sympathetic look, even though this news is a relief for Neil. The less time people have to ask him questions the easier.  
“What do you do, Andrew?” Neil asks, even though he knows exactly what Andrew does. Andrew gives him a carefully blank look and crosses his arms, one hand on an armband. Neil’s eyes track the movement. It makes sense to have weapons there, since it would make them easy to access. He vows to keep a closer eye on them from now on.  
After the silence lasts too long Nicky takes over, laughing uncomfortably. “Andrew is an embroiderer and Kevin’s guard dog.”  
There’s a barely concealed threat in Andrews eyes and Nicky is quiet for the rest of the excruciating elevator ride.  
It stops on the 14th floor. It takes everything in Neil to get himself to step off of the elevator and away from any possibility of escape. He scans the room to find the emergency exit (in the far right corner) and check the windows. No matter what, he knows that there isn’t an easy way out of this building.  
Quietly spoken German startles Neil out of his thoughts. He turns around to see Nicky whispering to Andrew. “What was that? Is he going to have a panic attack or something?”  
Andrew doesn’t answer, but when he sends an assessing gaze towards Neil, he knows that they’re speaking about him. Neil forces his muscles to relax and follows Boyd into the room.  
After the original alarm, Neil actually looks at the room and how it’s set up.  
There’s a gently hum of voices and machines that permeate the floor and make it feel almost cozy. The room that they’ve stepped into has a line of industrial sewing machines on one side, each with a dress form sitting beside them. Most of the dress forms are partially dressed with the beginnings of elegant evening gowns. On the wall to the left under the large windows is a row of ironing boards. A man is standing at one of them with a look of bright concentration on his face while he irons what looks to be a cotton gown. Neil has never had the time to properly construct anything-all of his training when it comes to sewing was done in the heat of the moment. He’s much better with hand sewing, a by product of the little chores he had to do when they were on the run.  
“Knox! Neil is here,” Boyd says to the man. He puts the iron down on the holder and turns around with a thrilled smile.   
“Hi, I’m Jeremy Knox. I’m the lead tailor. I work mostly menswear, so you won’t see as much of me, but I love to do a good women’s suit as well.”  
“Who designs menswear?” Neil asks, shaking the enthusiastic blond mans hand.  
Nicky gives him a strange look. “Um, Allison does. You know, Allison Reynolds? The creator of Alli Rey?”  
Neil sends him a blank look. His research had focused on Kevin, he hadn’t had the time to pay any attention to the other roles in the company. He’s regretting that already.  
Matt takes over, sounding more friendly about Neil’s lack of knowledge. “Allison is known for exquisite suits. As her company expanded, she wanted to add in womens wear, and that’s when Kevin joined the crew.”  
Neil tries to commit every detail of the jobs of each person that he comes across. Matt is patient and good with the other staff. He introduces Neil to everyone without interrupting their work too much, and is quick to move them on to each room. There are two rooms with sewing machines, one of them for mens and one for womens.   
Another massive room is filled with huge, waist height tables for the pattern drafters. Matt is obviously in his zone there, and he shows Neil the area with pride. There are rooms for fittings and meetings, as well as a cutting room, which they don’t enter but just peak into.   
The area is filled with offices--one for Nicky and his small crew that work marketing, and one each for Allison and Kevin. There are a few more offices off of this, but since Matt stops at Kevins door, Neil decides to ignore them for the moment. Neil notices Andrew slip into one of the rooms without any of the others noticing.  
Even though Neil has already spoken to the ex-striker and was perfectly aware that he would be seeing him today, it’s a shock to see him sitting at a desk and yelling into the phone, one cheek tattooed with a queen chess piece.   
It had been a huge deal when it came out that Kevin had covered up his tattoo. Accusations and rumours were thrown around for months, but when Kevin never released a statement it was eventually forgotten about. Or, at least the topic had gone dormant.  
They wait in the doorway awkwardly while Kevin finished his heated call. The wall behind his desk is covered in images that look like reference and inspiration photos. One wall is full window and the room is stylishly furnished.  
When Kevin finally puts down the phone and puts his full attention on the two men hovering in the doorway Neil freezes. This entire journey was stupid, and if Kevin recognizes Neil right now he won’t have a way out.  
No flash of recognition mars Day’s face, though. Instead, Neil is fixed with a haughty expression. He barely spares a glance for Matt, and Matt eventually leaves after telling Neil that he’ll introduce him to Dan as soon as she’s back from the fitting at the Madison Avenue store.  
“You don’t look like much,” Kevin says eventually, pinning Neil with an unimpressed look. Neil is fully aware that he’s wearing an old t-shirt and jeans, both a size too big. He feels like trash in this fancy office with shiny furniture. Usually these clothes help him blend in, but here they are making him stick out like a sore thumb.   
“I don’t think I’m here to look good,” Neil finally replies. Kevin doesn’t look impressed with that answer, and chooses to ignore it.  
“I’ll send someone to pick up clothes for you. Probably Nicky, he knows the image that we’re trying to portray.”  
Kevin gets up from his chair and leans against the desk. He is significantly taller than Neil (like most people are), but he stands hunched over like he’s trying to hide himself. He straightens every few minutes, but continues to forget and hunch over again. Neil watches the inner battle with fascination.  
“As I’m sure you know, the Resort show is coming up fast, which is why things are so hectic around here right now,” Kevin looks put out by the chaos. Neil doesn’t appreciate the assumption that he knows when fashion shows are, since he very much so does not. “Anyway, we’re working on Spring/Summer right now and it needs to be good. We’re getting outside pressure and with the brand getting so much attention right now, we need to keep it up.”  
“So why did you bring in a rookie?”  
“You’ve seen the floor,” Kevin says with outright disgust. “We’ll never come up with something groundbreaking the way it is now.”  
Neil raises an eyebrow and makes a note of how little faith Day has in his own team. That could be a bit of a recipe for disaster. “That doesn’t explain why you’ve brought someone in whose never studied or worked in the industry.”  
“If you do exactly what I tell you to do, it’s all going to work out.”

Neil spends the rest of the day shadowing Kevin, being grateful he never played Exy with the man, and trying to memorize every single piece of information he’s being given.   
He’s exhausted by the time Kevin decides that they’re allowed to leave at 8pm, but he knows he can’t let his guard down yet. Just because Kevin hasn’t recognized him yet doesn’t mean that he won’t, and there’s something about Andrew’s vacant stare that’s causing Neil some anxiety. He’s pretty sure that the small blond will be more trouble that Kevin and Nicky combined.  
Although Nicky is starting to be a big problem. He’s gotten it into his head that if Neil doesn’t look perfect, he’ll lose all acclaim that he’s procured from his years in Marketing. To be fair, the way that Kevin worded his job to buy Neil clothes did make it sound like life or death.  
Nicky refused to let Neil get a cab to the hotel room he’ll be staying at while they try to find him accommodations, so he’s trapped in the back of the expensive car with a chatting Nicky while a grouchy Kevin sits in the passenger seat and an apathetic Andrew drives.   
“Don’t worry about anything, we’ll get you measured tomorrow during your lunch break. If Kevin gives you one,” Nicky says, glaring at Kevin before continuing on his tirade. “It’s seriously going to be so easy. You’re gorgeous enough in that trash, but in a suit? No one will survive those sharp cheekbones!” Nicky fans himself.   
To Neils surprise, Andrew gives Nicky a sharp look through the mirror. “Stop,” he says in German. Nicky takes the dangerous tone in a stride and rapidly changes the topic to talk about an upcoming photoshoot. That sets Kevin off about not having promotional material ready in time, which gives Neil a glorious breather in the conversation.  
Getting measurements done shouldn’t be a big deal. It wouldn’t be, for most people, but Neil isn’t most people. And he’s pretty sure that he’ll have to disrobe at least a little to get proper measurements. He’s still trying to figure out a way around this when Andrew dumps him at the hotel. Only Nicky says goodnight.


	3. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick recap of last chapter: Neil calls Kevin and accepts his offer, Neil meets (most of) the team, Kevin and Nicky decide that Neil needs a new wardrobe.

His fingers are itching for a cigarette. It’s not an addiction, since Neil doesn’t actually smoke the things, but he’s craving a tether. A comforting scent, something to ground him.   
It’s only an hour into his second day at the atelier and he’s already thoroughly tired of Kevin and the constant noise that permeates the floor. It’s getting annoying having to bite back the snarky comments and make everyone think he’s a pushover. But being a pushover will keep him alive, so he’ll make do.  
Matt and Nicky greeted Neil with the same level of enthusiasm as they had the day before, and he got a few friendly nods as the building started to fill. Fortunately being tied to Kevin made most people keep their distance. Unfortunately, being tied to Kevin meant that Andrew popped up constantly. Neil can feel his eyes tracking him even when he’s pretty sure that he isn’t even in the same area as them.  
“No, I need it by Thursday at the latest. I was promised it by Wednesday!” Kevin is saying into the phone in that particularly bossy voice of his. “No, you don’t understand. You’ve heard of Alli Rey, correct? Yes, everyone has. If we can’t get that shipment in by Thursday, we will no longer be working with your company.”  
Kevin continues in that vein, threatening to pull out of whatever deal they have. As far as Neil understands, the shipment is holding a fabric that they ‘desperately’ need for the showstopper in the quickly approaching show. Neil is a far ways away from his times running. He’s made little things out of the strangest material, purely out of necessity.  
He barely waits for Kevin to put down the phone before speaking to make sure that he can get a word in before Kevin starts.  
“Why don’t you just get a different fabric for it?”  
Kevin has that expression on that says that he can’t believe that he’s even wasting a second of his day for Neil. “It would never get here in time, even if we did somehow manage to find something as perfect as this.”  
“Okay, then use something you already have.” Neil thinks to the entire wall of bolts of fabric in every colour that sits in the cutting room.   
Kevins face is slowly going red. “You--no, fuck’s sake. Neil, no.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because this is the showstopper. This is going to be ending the show. You cannot leave the customers on a blah note, it has to be perfect. And the only way that’s going to happen is if it’s made out of a silk/rayon velvet that’s been hand dyed with a unique method in Amsterdam.”  
“Maybe your showstopper isn’t as good as you think it is if it’s going to fail just because you used a different nice fabric.”  
“He has a point,” a dry voice startles Neil and he whips around to face the door. Andrew stands there, wearing a very similar all black outfit to what he wore yesterday. Neil considers complaining that he has to change his look when Andrew wears the same thing every day. He keeps his mouth shut for once.  
Kevin splutters something from his spot behind the desk, face going a mottled purple.   
“Get out,” Andrew says to Neil. He hesitates, glancing at Kevin to argue. When he doesn’t, Neil makes sure to leave Andrew space as he walks past him.  
He closes the door behind him and pauses in the hallway to listen. The bond between Andrew and Kevin has already been mentioned countless times in the office, and Neil has read many articles about it in various gossip magazines. No matter what is written or said, no one can explain exactly why Andrew lets Kevin tag along.  
Neil can just barely hear Andrew through the door.   
“The Moriyama’s aren’t going to care which fabric the last dress is made out of as long as it makes them money. And Riko fuck-face can’t do anything without his uncles approval. Relax.”  
A muffled groan can be heard down the hallway. Neil leans in a bit closer to hear Kevin’s answer. His words are frantic and fast, too fast for Neil to be able to catch on. Andrew’s answer is a repeat of his earlier words.  
He doesn’t stay outside for much longer after that. Of course Neil had been keeping an eye on the Moriyamas to ensure that he would be able to avoid them, but he was under the impression that Kevin had split from Riko after the accident.  
Neil Josten was well and truly fucked.  
He still had nightmares about the few weeks that he was stuck in the Nest, nightmares of the oppressive atmosphere, the pain and humiliation, the complete and utter exhaustion. It had taken him almost a month to stop losing time after the 16 hour days. He was still claustrophobic from the experience.  
To make it even worse, he knows that his father works for the Moriyama's. He bitterly wonders whether he’ll even live to see the show that he is currently helping them prepare for.   
The smart thing would be to leave and get a new identity. Maybe check out Italy, he’d been learning Italian in his spare time while he was working as a janitor. Of course, just because that's the smart thing doesn’t mean it’s the route that he wants to choose.

The problem is the last time that Neil had felt so strongly about his surroundings was when he was in the fashion program in school. The working hum of industrials, the quiet bustle of seamstresses and cutters going about their work, the satisfying sound of sharp scissors cutting through silk. The atmosphere at Alli Rey was intoxicating and calming all at once. Neil had walked through the cutting room earlier and spent almost 20 minutes just looking at the shelves of bolts of fabric that fills one wall. He had almost filled his sketchbook last night with new ideas. He hadn’t felt this inspired by anything for years, and now that he had spent a few days as a part of the magic he wasn’t sure that he could tear himself away so soon.  
If he could just make it until the next fashion show, the one that Kevin wanted him to help design, then he could die in peace. That way he could have made a mark, albeit a small one.   
That way he could get rid of a few of his regrets in life.

Three days later and Neil is as in love with the volatile environment as he was when he decided that he would be willing to die for it.  
The craziness with the customer is apparently over, so Neil was finally able to meet Dan. She is a no-nonsense, hard working woman with a tight control over her team. She had Neil’s respect the minute he saw her wrangle Seth into some semblance of control, and he had no trouble saying that he trusted her completely to get everything finished.  
Seth is another employee that he has, unfortunately, gotten to know since the customer issues have been dealt with. He had immediately written Neil off, and he seemed to have a chip on his shoulder for any designer as long as it wasn’t Allison. Neil had met Allison a few times so far, and each time she had a different reaction to Seth being there. Their strange relationship didn’t make anyone else nearly as uncomfortable as it did Neil.  
“I think it’s time that you start working late like everyone else does,” Kevin announces as Neil walks into the office that he’s been ‘shadowing’ Kevin in so far.  
“I do work late with everyone else,” Neil says. Annoyance crosses Kevin’s face.  
“No, you leave with Andrew and Nicky everyday.”  
“So do you.”  
“I leave for dinner with them, but I come back after.”  
Neil has known that Kevin was obsessive about his work right from the get go, but he had no idea to what extent. He knows for a fact that Matt and Dan leave around the time that he does, since they keep inviting him out for drinks, and they have important roles in the company as well. Neil tries to muster up some irritation with Kevin about the demand, but all he feels is some excitement about spending more time in the studios.   
So far he’s just gone home to sketch, obsessively check the locks in his hotel room, and eventually fall into a restless sleep. Coming back in to help with the quickly coming up Resort show is infinitely better than anything else that Neil could be doing in his evenings.   
“Alright,” he tells Kevin.  
Kevin gives him one quick nod of approval. “Andrew will pick you up tonight at 9. Eat before then.”

As promised, Andrew’s fancy vehicle is waiting outside the hotel for Neil at exactly 9 o’clock. Kevin is waiting in the passenger seat, and neither of the men are currently speaking to one another. Kevin immediately launches into a brainstorming session with Neil when he climbs in the backseat, and as much as he is interested in what Kevin has to say, his eyes keep wandering to look at Andrew in the drivers seat. So far what he’s seen of Andrew makes him think that he’s apathetic about the whole thing. He’s always the calm in the storm when he walks through the atelier during the day (although that isn’t often. Mostly he’s holed up in the office that Neil so far hasn’t been in with a woman with rainbow dyed hair whom he hasn’t met), and whenever Kevin tries to talk with him about upcoming collections he answers with a bored glare. Neil’s fascinated with this person who obviously has incredible talent, yet doesn’t care about it.  
He wasn’t sure what to expect of their late night work, but it’s pretty similar to the work that they’ve been doing during the day so far. The only difference is that Kevin isn’t able to phone any of their suppliers, so he has more of the razor focus that Neil remembers from his Exy days.   
They’re in the beautiful, streamlined office staring at the wall behind Kevin's desk. Andrew lies on the couch near the window with a book, one that Neil hasn’t heard of before. The pages are dog eared and worn, yet the avid way Andrew focuses on the book makes it look like he’s never read it before.  
The wall has been transforming quickly while Neil has been here. For the most part he’s been keeping his opinions to himself (which has been more difficult than he thought it would be) since his real job will start with the next collection, but he hasn’t been able to help himself with a few of the looks. They’re planning the show, playing around with the order that the ensembles come out on the runway and which garments will be put together. Most of the wall has been taken over by the photos of each look on possible models (that will need to be decided as well, eventually). Each look has a number on it, though the numbers keep getting scratched out and changed. The only one that hasn’t changed is the showstopper, which will be going last.  
“I just still don’t understand what makes that one the showstopper,” Neil tells Kevin before he can control himself. He stiffens and waits for Kevin to have a conniption, or maybe a panic attack. Neil had thought that Andrew wasn’t paying attention to them, but a small huff tells him that he has.  
Kevin surprises all of them by looking thoughtful. It takes him a while to respond and he inspects the wall in the meantime. “I’m not really sure, actually. I had just decided in the beginning that it would be and it never occurred to me that it might not.”  
“Okay.” Neil says, but he’s been forgotten. A familiar frenzied look is in Kevin's eye now that Neil planted the idea, and he’s scrambling around the wall moving photos around.   
The rest of the evening is spent in near silence, and Neil finds that he enjoys his time with Kevin and Andrew more than he ever thought he would.  
He admires Kevin, and has for a long time. Seeing him working first hand isn’t always that impressive, but when he gets into this centered head space Neil can see why he’s gotten so far in the industry so quickly.   
Andrew is a different story. Where Kevin is an easy book to read, Neil just can’t grasp anything about Andrew. Everything he does surprises Neil. It’s unsettling.

So far Neil has managed to avoid Nicky and Kevin’s plans for getting him new clothes. By the end of the week he had quietly hoped that they had forgotten about it in the chaos of show prep.  
Neil Josten has never been that lucky.  
Nicky jumps him during lunch on Friday with far too much joy for such a task.  
“You’re going to love Abby, she’s great. We always go to the Garment District store just for her for the new recruits.”  
“We’re going to an Alli Rey store?” Neil has no idea what to expect from his day, but there’s a tight ball of dread in his stomach that’s threatening to swallow him. He counts to ten in French, and then German in the hopes that the anxiety will lessen.  
“Yep! Everyone tries to wear as much from the brand as possible for marketing. It was my idea,” Nicky preens as he pushes Neil out of the building. It’s just the two of them for once, something that hasn’t happened since he arrived.   
Neil makes a vague noise of approval. They get into Andrews car, which Neil can’t imagine the conversation that got the approval for Nicky to drive. Nicky talks nonstop the entire time they’re in the vehicle, which Neil is strangely grateful for. The empty chatter is enough to quell some of the nausea that popped up when he realized that he would need to get measured today, which also meant that it was pretty likely that he would have to take off his shirt. Unfortunately, he has already tried everything that he could think of to get out of this when Kevin first brought it up and he has no ideas left.   
All he knows is that Nicky absolutely can not be in the room while he gets his measurements done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To look forward to in the next chapter: Neil meets Abby and gets measured for his new wardrobe.   
Stay tuned for a new chapter next Monday!  
For a few of the terms you might not recognize:   
Industrials: Industrial sewing machines. Like a home sewing machine, but better and louder.   
Cutter: The person who cuts out the pattern pieces in the real/fashion fabric (the nice fabric that the garment is actually going to be made out of).  
Atelier: a fashion house, this is the private studio/workspace of the designer (or artist). The offices that Neil has been working in with Kevin is in the atelier, which means that customers don't go into it unless they have someone really special who wants to see where all the 'action' happens.
> 
> Let me know if there are any more terms that I should have an explanation for:) And thank you for the comments on the last chapter, you are all lovely!


	4. Measurements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil meets Abby and Renee, and agrees to a night out with Andrew and his gang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit shorter than the past few, but don't worry: next chapter is Edens Twilight!

“You must be Neil! Nicky and Matt have told me so much about you,” the woman says warmly as she bustles out of the back of the store.  
“This is Abby,” Nicky says proudly, like Neil wouldn’t have been able to assume as much from the measuring tape hanging around her neck and the fact that she knew his name.  
Neil gives her an unconvincing smile and a brief handshake. He had taken the drive to control his stress, and he’s relieved that his hands aren’t shaking anymore.  
“How about you get us all a coffee?” Abby says to Nicky, who takes up the offer enthusiastically. Neil tries not to show how thrilled he is that he doesn't have to convince Nicky to leave.  
Abby leads Neil to the back of the store where expensive looking private rooms wait. The door is locked behind them, and Neil can’t decide whether that makes him feel more comfortable knowing no one else will interrupt or caged. He avoids looking into the three mirrors that sit at slightly different angles against the far wall.  
There are two comfortable but elegant looking chairs sitting opposite the mirrors with a table between them. Books of the companies newest collections sit prettily on the table, the top one open to a page showing a photo from the last show.  
Abby puts on a pair of glasses and pulls out a notebook, smiling at Neil all the while.  
“Have you ever been made a custom suit before?”  
Neil shakes his head no. He’s tempted to lie and say that he has just to make himself look a bit more experienced, but there’s no way that anyone would believe him.  
“Alright, today won’t take very long. I just need you to take off your shirt so that we can get the most accurate measurements for your upper torso.”  
Neil gives Abby a blank look. He knew this was coming the entire time, but his skin still crawls hearing her say that.   
“Can’t we get the measurements without removing any clothes?”  
Abby’s smile has turned sympathetic. Neil eyes go to the door without even thinking about it.   
“Many people are uncomfortable at first, but please understand that I’ve been trained to be completely impartial about this. It’s just about the measurements, nothing else.”  
Neil thinks about warning her about the scars first. But he can’t think of any words to explain his hesitance. Taking off his loose shirt with jerky movements, he moves to ensure that he won’t be able to see the mirrors while Abby works.   
He looks up just in time to see the shock on Abbys face, before it smooths out to a carefully concealed darkness. She doesn’t say anything, and Neil can feel himself warming up to her slightly.  
As promised, the measurements don’t take long and Abby’s hands are impersonal and professional. The room is mostly silent, with her muttering certain numbers under her breath before she writes them down.   
By the time Nicky gets back, Abby is chatting to Neil about the workings of the stores and how custom fittings go. Nicky looks absolutely thrilled at the slightly more relaxed set to Neils shoulders and expression and he plies them with pastries along with their coffee.

Nicky tells Neil about his fiance, Erik, who is currently in Germany, while they drive back to the atelier. Neil isn’t sure if Nicky actually enjoys his company or if he’s just happy to have someone who will listen, but Neil is starting to enjoy the lively man. It’s comforting being with someone who is fine with holding a one sided conversation, who doesn’t push Neil to say anything more than what he wants to.

No one mentions their extended lunch absence, but all of the little comments about Neils clothing makes him think that they all know where he was. Andrew had given him an inscrutable look when they got back, but he hasn’t seen him since.  
Until now, that is. Neil is standing outside of the door that he’s seen Andrew enter countless times but so far has never been invited in, one fist raised to knock. He isn’t sure why, but his gut is telling him to stay away from the room. It’s like barging into a bedroom - it’s personal, and no one should enter a personal space when they haven’t been invited.  
Neil shakes away the discomfort and knocks lightly on the door.  
He still isn’t sure why he was chosen for this errand. Kevin had barely hung up the phone before shoving a portfolio into Neils hands and shoving him in this direction with orders to do whatever he possibly could to get Andrew to do whatever was in the portfolio.  
When Matt had asked what he was doing, he gave him a pitying look and advised him to just tell Kevin that he wouldn’t. No need to actually ask.  
As much as he didn’t say, Neil actually did like it when other employees gave him advice. This was just a piece of advice that he would not be following. Andrew gave Neil a complex set of emotions and he still couldn’t tell if Andrew was going to cause him problems while he was here. He had seen how he was always hovering near Kevin, and the stories about how protective he was over Nicky and Kevin. He had read the stories himself about the court mandated drugs through university, and the attack that got him off of them.  
Despite the constant warnings that team members gave Neil, he still wanted to figure out Andrew for himself.  
The door opens gently and Neil is faced with a woman with chin length, rainbow dyed hair. She gives him an angelic smile and a feeling of distrust somewhere in his ribs.  
“We haven’t met yet, I was at the London store for a few weeks to help sooth a customer. I’m Renee, the other embroiderer,” she holds out a hand for Neil to shake. He does, and drops it as soon as he can. Movement over her shoulder draws Neils eye to an amused looking Andrew. He raises one eyebrow at Neil, who scowls back at him.  
“What can we do for you?” Renee asks. Her voice is soft, but there is something in there that Neil doesn’t trust. He has a similar note in his voice, even when he’s trying very hard to hide it. He’s also heard it in Andrews voice.  
Plus, the betting that Renee and Andrew are dating doesn’t help Neils view of her.   
“Kevin wants you to do something for him,” Neil says, still looking at Andrew over Renee’s shoulder in order to avoid her knowing eyes.  
Andrews mouth turns up infinitesimally. It’s not a friendly expression, more a subtle baring of teeth. A warning.  
“Well, I’m having lunch with Allison soon. Want me to bring you back anything?” Renee asks Andrew. She barely waits for him to shake his head before slipping around Neil and out the door. She smiles brightly at them as she walks away.  
“Tell Kevin that a new messenger doesn’t make it a new answer.”  
Neil shrugs. “Okay. Well, that’s all I came for.”  
He takes a moment to look around the room before leaving. Curiosity has been eating at him ever since he started working here at what this room might look like.   
The back wall is entirely window with a comfortable, worn chair near it. In front of the chair is a simple standing embroidery hoop with a half finished project on it. There’s another set up like that in the other corner, and a weaving loom against one wall. The opposite wall is covered by a bookshelf that is entirely filled with books. Neil likes the rest of the atelier. He likes the hum of machines and conversation, the scent of fabric dust, the windows that fill the rooms with sunlight.   
However, he can say with certainty that he’s never felt so comfortable in a space as he feels in this room.   
Biting back a sigh, Neil starts turning to go back to Kevin and his stressed anger.  
“That’s it?”  
Neil turns back around to face Andrew. If he didn’t know better, he would think Andrew looked surprised.  
“You said no. What else should I do? Give you a song and a dance?”  
Andrew narrows his eyes at Neil. “I’ll do it. But only if you come with us to Edens on Friday. A favour for a favour.”  
“Kevin won’t be happy about that.”  
“Kevin is coming with.”  
Neil blinks in surprise. “Fine.”  
Andrew holds out his hand for the portfolio then flicks his fingers as a dismissal.   
Neil is almost back in Kevins office when he realizes that he isn’t even sure what was in the portfolio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come chat with me on tumblr at @kar3npage!


	5. Edens Twilight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil gets the Edens Twilight treatment, Neil and Andrew make a deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recap of last weeks chapter: Neil gets his measurements taken and meets Abby, he shocks everyone by convincing Andrew to do his job, he meets and immediately dislikes Renee.

Friday comes faster than Neil was ready for.

After the initial outrage (from Kevin) and shock (from everyone else) when they found out that Neil had somehow managed to talk Andrew into cooperating with the team, they had showered Neil with warnings and tips to avoid the Friday outing.

Dan had alluded to something bad happening when Matt went with Andrew and his crew to Edens, and Jeremy’s smile had dimmed somewhat when he heard about the trip. No matter how hard everyone tried to fight against Neil going, he knew that he would never back out. He was curious about where the concern came from and vowed to one day hear the stories, but for now he had made a deal. Neil wasn’t one to just back out of deals.

By the time 9pm rolled around (the time that Andrew had made him promise that he would be ready), he had completely forgotten about the entire trip.

Preparing for a fashion show was a great deal more complicated than Neil had realized. Sure, he knew about the complications that could arise and the amount of work that was required to prep for such a large show, but he had never seen the work that went on up in the designers chair. So far he had been dealing with the venue for Kevin, had chats with various staff (Seth) who didn’t want to have their toils ready for fittings, and all sorts of other strange tasks that he never would have thought to worry about.

Sometimes Neil was so busy and focused on his work that he forgot that he was being hunted.

The knock on his hotel room door had Neil moving fast, reaching for a gun that he no longer had with him. It took a breathless moment for him to remember that he was going out for the night.

However, the paranoia was difficult to get rid of, so Neil opened the door carefully and slowly. Nicky stood there was a huge grin and a bag. He only waited for the door to open a smidge before shoving the bag into Neils hands.

“Get changed and then we can get going,” Nicky says cheerfully. 

“Why do I have to change?”  
Nicky looks him up and down and makes a face. “Neil, your gorgeous and all that, but there’s only so much that a pretty face a good body can do. You need better clothes.”

Neil considers arguing, then decides that it would be easier just to change. To spite Nicky, he makes him wait in the hotel hallway. Neil is pretty sure that Kevin forgot to find him an apartment, since he hasn’t mentioned Neil leaving the hotel yet.

It’s a usual sight to see the maserati parked comfortably in front of the hotel at night. What isn’t so usual is the appearance of not only Nicky, but a second Andrew. Neil knew about Aaron Minyard, he had read the newspaper articles about the attack that let Andrew off of his meds during fashion school, but he never actually expected to meet him. He had lost interest in Aaron when he started studying medicine.

It’s jarring to see someone with Andrews face who emotes so much. Or maybe he doesn’t, but it just looks extreme compared to Andrews blank mask. Neil thinks that he prefers the lack of emotion to the sneer of distaste that he’s getting as he gets shoved in between Nicky and Aaron in the back seat of the car.

The music is loud enough that no one can really speak, though Nicky and Kevin do try. They’re arguing about something, but Neil has a sneaking suspicion that they’re arguing about two completely separate topics. If anyone else notices, they don’t say anything.

The diner that they stop at before Eden’s is unexpected to Neil. Enough so that he immediately looks around in suspicion, waiting for someone to pop out from a dark corner. He doesn’t notice Andrew watching his vaguely panicked reaction until they’re almost inside. Andrew raises one eyebrow when Neil makes eye contact with him; Neil avoids his eyes for as long as he can after that.

It’s tough work not looking at Andrew when Neil is so used to tracking his every move, but it does make it easier for him to notice the cracker packets. Drugs.

Neil has heard about the crazy lives that successful designers and models live, of course. He never thought that he would run into it, not with Kevin and his health craze and work ethic. He has a brief taste of disappointment in Kevin.

After the uncomfortable silence of Sweeties that was only broken by Nickys increasingly desperate attempts for conversation, it’s actually a comfort to get to Edens. 

Edens Twilight is the sort of club that Neil has been in before but never had wanted to go to again. It was loud, bright, and filled with people wearing various sorts of corsets and leather and straps. It was too much, yet Andrew and the rest seemed at home here among the insanity. 

They get in without any trouble--in fact the bouncers nod at them and give Nicky some sort of complicated handshake as they walk in. 

Most of the group splits off to find an empty table, but Andrew snags Neils sleeve and pulls him toward the bar.

There’s barely any space and people keep bumping into Neil until he’s much closer to Andrew than he’s ever been to anyone in his life, other than maybe his mother. He does his best to keep an inch of space between the two of them, but the club is filled to the brim.

He’s already hot and sweaty and he’s only been here for a few moments. 

“Andrew, we’ve been missing you! Well, I have at least,” a tall, muscular bartender winks at Neil as he sidles up to them. He’s already working on drinks, though Andrew hasn’t ordered anything yet.

“And who's this?” He says to Andrew. The blond fits him with a bored stare that’s getting close to hostile. The bartender gets back to work but is otherwise unbothered by Andrew.

“Just the normal, Roland.”

“And for your new member?”

Andrew turns to look at Neil. 

“I don’t drink,” Neil shouts over the music. Roland and Andrew have some sort of silent conversation and Roland shrugs and pours a soda into a glass for Neil, then shoves the overfilled tray towards them. 

Andrew lifts the tray with precision and comfort, and he has no trouble getting through the crowd without spilling. That would probably explain their easy access to the club, Neil decides.

The other three men attack the tray the minute it hits the table with the desperation of those suffering from dehydration. Aaron somehow manages to continue glaring at Neil throughout it. Neil pretends that he didn’t notice the three of them pour packets of powder into their drinks before they downed them.

“We’re going to go dance, coming with?” Nicky leans over to shout in Neils ear. He can feel the music pumping through his body. Or maybe that’s his anxiety, it’s tough to tell. He doesn’t respond to Nicky, just shakes his head. Nicky drags a still glaring Aaron and already spaced out Kevin to the dance floor behind him. 

Neil is ready to book it by the time Andrew finally speaks up. 

“What are you running from?” he says calmly, still working on his scotch.

The muscles in Neils body freezes. He swings around to face Andrew, looks him in the eye for the first time since Sweeties, and gets ready to leave. Italy would be a nice change.

He has to take a breathe before answering, deciding to play it safe.

“What are you talking about? I’m not running from anything.”

Andrew snorts and gives Neil a dirty look. “You are the first person to ever take more than five minutes to consider working with Kevin, you nearly had a panic attack when you realized that we were on the top floor of the building and you couldn’t escape easily, your find the exits in every room before you look at anything else, do you need me to continue?”

When Neil doesn’t answer right away Andrew leans forward until their noses are nearly touching.

“The thing is, this is the easy way. I have other methods of finding out the truth from you, and I wouldn’t hesitate to use them.”

“Why?” Neil’s heart beating so hard that it hurts his ribs.

“Because Kevin and I have a deal. And if you’re running from who I think you’re running from, you could be making me break that deal.” Andrew blinks slowly. Neil can see flecks of gold in his eyes, they’re so close. “I never break deals.”

“Who do you think I’m running from?”

“The Moriyama’s.”

Neil knew he was going to say this. He knew exactly what was going to happen here, but the world still stops for a jarring second.

There are a few ways that Neil could deal with this. Option one: admit that he’s running from the Moriyamas and let Andrew kick him out. He would be safer far away from here anyway. Option two: play stupid and make up a new sob story to explain his fidgety tendencies, and hope that Andrew doesn’t see through the lie. Or, he could use a bit of both. Use just enough of the truth to make Andrew believe him, just enough of a lie to keep him here at Alli Rey.

Neil needs to decide. He can’t decide.

“What makes you think you have any power over me?” he says instead.

“Kevin listens to everything I say, whether he wants to or not. I can make him fire you.”

“Why do you think that I would tell you the truth to avoid that?”

A muscle in Andrews jaw twitches. “You look at the office like it’s the most magical thing you’ve ever seen. You’re as much of a junkie as Kevin is, and that’s saying something.”

Neil really, really wants to stay.

“What do I get in return for telling you the truth?” he relents.

“You get to stay.”

Neil is almost getting cross eyed looking at Andrew from so close. It’s like a game of chicken, and so far neither of them have moved away. When Neil fails to look impressed with that offer, Andrew sighs.

“We’ll play a game. Truth for a truth. I start. Who are you running from?”

Neil chickens out and moves back. “My father,” he chokes a bit on the word. He hopes it adds to the realism of the story. “My father worked for the Moriyamas. He was low on the ladder, no one cared much about him. Until he stole money from them and ran. They found my parents and… and killed them. I have what’s left of the money, and I’ve been on the move ever since.”

He sneaks a glance up at Andrew then turns to stare at his untouched glass of soda. 

“I’ll make a deal with you.”

That is the last thing that Neil expected to hear. He forces himself not to react, to wait for Andrew to explain himself.

“I watch your back, and you make sure that Kevin doesn’t go running back.”

“Kevin would go back?” Neil can feel his nose wrinkle up in disgust. He only spent a few weeks with Riko all those years ago, and there is nothing in the world that would make him go back.

“Yes. Do we have a deal?”

Andrew offers a hand to Neil, who stares at it until he realizes what it’s there for. He nods and gives Andrew a firm handshake. 

He tries his best to sit still and act like their conversation didn’t shake him to the core, but Neil has an urge deep in his bones to move. He excuses himself to the bathroom to Andrew and starts to fight his way through the crowd.

“Neil!” he hears someone shout. “Neil, hey!” 

He stiffens and turns, ready to fight. Nicky stumbles over his feet as he makes him way over to Neil. He throws his arms around him and Neils entire frame tenses. He can’t help himself but throw up his arms to shove Nicky away.

Nicky clings to his shoulders and kisses him. 

The shock almost makes Neil not notice the overly sweet taste to the kiss, and as Nicky lets himself be pushed away, the salty aftertaste. 

It’s too much.

Neil was already shaky and spent from talking to Andrew, and now his body is already failing to follow his instructions.

“No,” he mumbles or shouts.

Was green the colour for exit? Or was that red? Was this the way to the bathrooms? Neils feet are doing their best to walk somewhere, but with all of the jostling and people they aren’t managing their job.

That’s about the time that Neil’s memory starts to get patchy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one term definition for you this week-  
Toile: the garment made out of a cheap fabric in order to do fittings before making it out of the nice, expensive fabric.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Next week: Andrew is very, very angry.


	6. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andrew and Aaron have an argument, Kevin stays clueless, Neil sits through the first fitting for the upcoming fashion show.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Neil goes to Edens Twilight, him and Andrew make a deal, Nicky drugs Neil.
> 
> Thank you for your patience! University midterms hit, but next weeks chapter should be published on Monday like I promised.

Neil is throwing up before he’s even fully awake, leaning over the side of the bed to get at a garbage bin that’s been placed there. 

He doesn’t give himself the luxury of time to recuperate. This is a skill that Mary had given him at a young age--the ability to survive purely through muscle memory. No matter how much pain or discomfort he was in, he knew that his body would respond quickly enough to survive for a few more minutes.

His limbs are still weighed down by the drugs, but he moves them as quickly as he dares, doing his best to stay silent. A cursory scan of his environment gives him the opportunity he needs: a floor to ceiling window in the wall behind the bed. Neil is already cracking open the section of the window that has a screen in it when he realizes three things.

One: that this window is very, very high up.

Two: there is the sound of a quiet conversation being held outside the door of the room that he is currently in.

Three: Mary is dead and Neil is in New York working as a designer.

His brain short circuits for a precious moment while he tries to remember the night before. His stomach lurches again when the phantom taste of cracker dust hits his tongue.

It takes counting to ten in three different languages before Neil is able to control is panic and white hot anger. The conversation outside has been using that time to turn into a whisper-shouted argument.

Neil scans the room again, but this time he pays attention to how it looks rather than just the exits. 

It’s mostly bare with dove grey walls and modern, sleek furniture. A dog-eared book and a pair of reading glasses on the bedside table are the only things that stand out. Neil is pretty sure that he recognizes the book from Andrew’s bookshelf in his office at the atelier.

“He lied to me!” The abrupt raising of a voice makes Neil jump. It’s Nicky, sounding partially angry and partially terrified. “He said you told us to!”

There’s a low rumble of voices that Neil can’t quite make out the words to before a loud smack. Whatever hit the wall in the next room hit it hard enough to make the bland photos on the walls shutter.

Neil is paralyzed in place while he tries to decide what to do. If this were a different situation, if he was trying to get away from his fathers men and he didn’t care about needing to disappear, he would have found a weapon and left the room. However, there is a tiny, traitorous flame of hope that’s lodged itself in his chest and he’s having a difficult time getting rid of it.

He wants to stay.

With light footsteps, Neil makes his way over to the door. It’s easy to open it without making a sound, and he’s very good at entering a room silently. He barely spares a glance to the rest of the ridiculously expensive looking apartment before analyzing the situation in the living room. 

Kevin is in an odd spot between frantic and zombie-like. Neil is almost impressed that he’s standing already, after how much he had to drink last night. Nicky is slumped against the wall in defeat, making Neil assume that it was his body’s impact that made the wall rattle. 

What’s the most interesting about the tableau is the stand off currently going on between Andrew and Aaron.

It’s easy to tell the difference between the twins now that they are standing beside one another. Andrew’s body is tight with fury, but his expression is blank from what Neil can see in his limited vantage point from the hallway. Aaron is the complete opposite: his body is relaxed, but his expression shows a painful mixture of hatred and fear and something else that Neil can’t name. The room is deadly quiet.

“I don’t trust him, and I don’t understand why you do,” Aaron finally spits out. “Turning up here out of the blue without references? Come on Andrew, you of all people should know what this is.”

Kevin goes stiff and his eyes dart to Andrew.

“Wait, you don’t think…?” Kevin starts. 

“That it’s the Moriyama’s? Yeah, I do. You can’t tell me that this is just a bit of luck.”

“What I don’t understand is why you’ve decided to care now, after running away in university.” Andrew’s voice is as calm as ever. Neil can’t tell if he’s making up the undercurrent of emotion in it.

Aaron’s fist curls before he takes a breath and relaxes it again. “I didn’t run away Andrew, I just made a life for myself. Maybe you should try.”

“Neil!” 

He jumps at Nicky’s relieved voice and spins to face the front door on instinct. All of the occupants of the uncomfortably modern living room have turned to stare at him.

Andrews gaze is assessing as he takes in Neil’s appearance, then he turns back to Aaron to continue their conversation, this time in German.

“You could have made a life for yourself without breaking the deal.”

Aaron scoffs. Nicky sends Neil a tentative smile, which Neil ignores. 

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter what you think. I know what I’m doing, and he isn’t a threat. To Kevin, anyway.”

“You’re ignoring the warning signs just to cling to a shred of hope.”

“I don’t ‘cling’ to anything.”

“Our last deal would disagree with that.”

Nicky’s voice breaks in before they can move to sharper blows. “You must be thirsty! Let me get you a glass of water, then you can shower.”

Neil flinches when Nicky walks past him to the kitchen and Nicky’s expression saddens. 

Kevin hasn’t moved from his position on the couch, but he’s watching Neil with new caution. He hopes that this doesn’t trigger anything in the mans memory. There’s no way he’ll be able to stay once Kevin remembers the Butcher’s son.

Neil eyes the front door that sits between the kitchen and the living room. He would have to pass Andrew and Aaron, but he thinks that he might be fast enough to get there before Aaron stopped him.

His thoughts screech to a halt when he realizes that he trusts Andrew more than anyone else in the room. He stares at him with wide eyes. Andrew is still watching Aaron, who is staring at the blank wall with intensity.

“Here you go, Neil,” Nicky’s voice startles everyone again and Neil tentatively grabs the glass. He looks at Aaron and Nicky again before holding Kevins eye (the only person in the room who will look him in the eye) and dumps the glass on the expensive looking floor. Andrew snorts. 

Nicky’s smile is getting dimmer by the minute. “Umm…” Nicky says before Andrew interrupts.

“Aaron, do you want to explain to our guest about what happened last night? Or will Nicky have the honour?”

Andrew has a vicious smile on that looks painful compared to his usual blank expression. Neil remembers that smile from a photo from his college years when he was on the court mandated medication. Nicky flinches while Aaron keeps his gaze stubbornly on the wall beside the door.

“I’m sorry Neil, I didn’t know--” Nicky stammers.

Andrew interrupts. “Aaron here thought it would be a good idea to ask you questions while you were under the influence. Would you like to explain, dear brother?”

Aaron finally turns his head to look at Neil. There isn’t a single ounce of regret in his voice when he speaks. “I don’t trust you and Nicky is easy to manipulate.”

“Fuck you,” Neil says. His voice cracks from his dry throat and he stops himself from wincing. Aaron rolls his eyes.

“It was a stupid mistake, Aaron. You’re going to cost us the season if Neil decides not to stay,” Kevin says. “We don’t have nearly the manpower or the creativity to make the next show without him.”

“Huh, are you admitting that you need help? That’s new,” Andrew says dryly. 

“I’m serious Andrew. We’re already getting stale and it’s a brand new company. There’s no way we’ll be successful without new blood, especially with the Moriyama’s breathing down our necks.”

“We’ll be fine. And Neil isn’t leaving.” Andrew says with certainty, pulling out his pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. 

“You sound pretty sure about that,” Neil says. His anger at the situation his growing now that he knows he doesn’t need to run. He doesn’t even want to run, which is unusual for him. Both Andrew and Neil know that he’ll be here until his death, but he can’t help but be difficult about it. 

“That’s because I am. Do you have such a short memory that you forgot our deal?”

Aaron sputters and Nicky grins triumphantly, guilt momentarily forgotten. “I thought you were done with that. You told Bee that you were done.” Aaron snaps.

“Don’t talk to me about what I told Bee. And this ties in with Kevins.”

Kevin looks at Neil and Andrew appraisingly. “What do you know about the Moriyamas?”

Neil is surprised by how quickly he put it together. He looks to Andrew, since he’s not sure how much they need to tell the others. 

“You don’t need to know that. Just that he’ll be here for your next show.”

“Our next show,” Kevin corrects, but he doesn’t pry. 

The rest of the team treats Neil’s return to the atelier on Monday like the rebirth of Jesus. Matt checks him over for injuries multiple times and sends Andrew a dirty look, but Neil assures him that he’s fine. He doesn’t tell them about Nicky and Aaron drugging him. That will just cause more drama in the team, and they don’t need that so close to the show.

It’s a fitting day, so all of the rooms are filled with chaos and models. Neil spends as much of his time in Kevins office until Kevin forces him out to decide on who will wear what.

The tables in the cutting room have all been shoved to the side to make a large empty space for the models to walk and line up, and one table has been taken over for Neil and Kevin to use. It’s already covered with images and sketches of the various looks, along with the headshots of the models. The far corner of the room has been turned into a changing room and garment racks are lining the wall behind it. 

Dan marches around the space like a drill sergeant, showing the models where to go and shouting at the heads of the departments to get everything together. Neil watches it all with absolute fascination, not even trying to pretend to be working while the others bustle around.

Kevin shoves a file in his hands every once in a while, but Neil isn’t quite sure what he’s looking for.

When he had poked his head into the sewing room earlier, they were doing last minute touch ups to various toiles, ironing and basting certain things together. Neil had been hit with nostalgia from his college days: the last minute rush before handing in a project, the nervous anticipation of fittings. He hadn’t been so sad about not finishing the program in years, but this teamwork made him feel almost lonely.

They were well into the fittings by the time Andrew made an appearance. Kevin had explained that Andrew didn’t actually like fitting days--too many people--but he always checked in.

“Go try on the a-line with the blazer again,” Kevin says without looking up at the current model. She’s bouncy with strawberry blonde hair and a thrilled smile. She doesn’t look put down by Kevin’s abruptness, just turns around and explains to Dan what he wants her in. A new model takes her place quickly, wearing a pencil skirt paired with what Neil quickly recognizes as his design--an asymmetrical jacket with a shawl collar. When he checks the SPEC sheet for it, he sees that Kevin has pinned a burgundy silk and black chiffon with it, just as Neil had described in his initial sketch.

“I thought you weren’t using any of my designs in this collection. I thought that it was too late in the game to change it.”

“I wasn’t going to, but this one fit in well and Andrew convinced me to.”

Neil sends a startled glance toward Andrew, who is standing in the corner and chatting with Renee. Neither of them are looking at the models, but Neil has seen Andrew glancing at a few of the outfits and making a face. He’s sure that he’s paying more attention than any of them realize.

“Why?’ Neil finally says.

“Why what?”

“Why did Andrew do that?”

Kevin shrugs and makes a motion for the model in front of them to turn. She does and he launches himself forward with a few pins to make the hem shorter. “Andrew does whatever he likes. I’ll never understand him.”

Neil hides a grin and goes back to the file in his hand. There’s a warm feeling spreading in his stomach. His designs will actually be shown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the terms that you might not recognize:  
Fittings: this is a more common term, but this is one of the earlier fittings before a fashion show where they are deciding which models will be walking the show and what they will be wearing.   
Toile: I explained this in the last chapter, but this is a version of the garment that is made in a cheap fabric (usually muslin, so they are usually all white) so that they don't waste any expensive fashion fabric. They will make alterations in the toile so that it fits the models better, and those alterations will be put on the pattern before they do another fitting with the model. There can be many fittings, depending on how much a pattern needs to be altered and how much time they have.  
Basting: This is a large size stitch which makes it easier to unpick a seam. Original toiles are often mostly or entirely basted together so that it can be taken apart and re-pinned on the model if something really doesn't fit, or if you decide on a different design last minute.  
SPEC sheet: a booklet that has a detailed sketch of the design (that includes exactly where the seams should be, where any topstitching will go, if it has lining, etc) along with samples of the fabric. It can also include how much fabric the design needs, how expensive it will be, measurements, and so forth.
> 
> If you have any other questions, let me know!  
Thank you so much for reading:)


	7. The Resort Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil's first fashion show! And it can't go perfectly, can it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Aaron and Andrew argue about keeping Neil around, Neil sits through the fitting and finds out that Andrew encouraged Kevin to include one of Neil's designs in the show.

Neil feels like he’s barely been in New York before the Resort show comes up. Time is moving too quickly, sliding through Neil’s hands like water. Every time he thinks he has a grip on something, it all changes.

The doomed feeling isn’t being helped by the ever changing world of fashion. Allison has been around more often now that the show is coming so quickly, and Neil has found that he enjoys the feisty, sassy comments that are flung around while she’s in the building. 

Neil has also been getting to know the other members of the team. He hadn’t realized how quickly they accepted him until someone would spout a fact about him, like how his favourite colour is grey (“That isn’t a colour, Neil” Kevin has said with derision) and how he has a soft spot for fruit. He stomach starts turning every time he gets a glimpse of a life with a sort of ‘work family’, like Dan always said. The worst was the longing that came with.

And the work. Neil loved the work. He forgot about the stopwatch ticking away, the impermanence of the situation, the danger of it all when he worked side by side with these people who took him in.

Show day dawned to be bright but crisp. Andrew picked him up at the hotel, like always, but it was much earlier than they usually started their day. 

They had spent most of last night working on final touches, and it was cozier than Neil thought possible with such a hard deadline looming. They had all piled into the sewing room and him and Kevin finalized the lineup while the others worked on details. The atmosphere had been warm and comfortable, and Neil felt content. The feeling was a drug, and he was already afraid that he would never have it again.

The car was uncharacteristically silent as he climbed in and a glance at the other occupants confirmed that they were as exhausted as him. Even Andrew had dark circles under his eyes, and Nicky was zoned out as he looked out the window. Nicky and Kevin both gave Neil a look of tired anticipation as he settled into the back seat and he grinned at them, and Andrew. Andrew just huffed, but Neil noticed that his jaw was softer today, his body less tense than usual.

The office had a similar mood, and Matt almost bowled Neil over when he got inside. Kevin attacked Nicky before he could leave for his office to talk about the logistics of the show being live streamed on instagram and Dan shouted at them for a team meeting. 

Neil dropped to the wall while everyone else crowded forward, trying to stay by Andrew. When Dan started her pep talk, Neil ignored it to pay attention to Andrews calm exterior.

“If I didn’t know you better, I would say that you were looking forward to this,” Neil murmured. 

Andrew huffed, a corner of his lip twitching a bit. “Good thing you know better then.”

Neil is sure that Dan’s speech is as motivating as they always are, but he ignores it in favour of watching Andrew play with his pack of cigarettes. He doesn’t need to be more excited, he needs to keep calm before the show.

Kevin has slipped into that razor focus that made Neil admire him in the beginning. He’s cool and composed, and he works surprisingly well with Neil. After criticizing him non stop over the past month or so, he seems to have forgotten about Neil’s shortcomings for the day. 

In fact, he hasn’t let loose a single well meant but brutal comment on anyone yet. He collaborates with every single member of the team (although there is a tense moment with Seth for a moment, before Renee refocuses their attention) to ensure that the day goes perfectly. 

The excitement is boiling away under the surface, but everyone is working harder than Neil has seen so far. Nicky has been running the social media and posting approved behind-the-scenes photos while they work, and Neil feels a surge of affection for the team. Matt ruffles his hair every time he passes by him, Jeremy sends him a bright grin when he pops in to chat with Kevin about something, Allison gives him a compliment peppered with profanity on the design of his that ended up in the line, and Renee squeezes his shoulder in passing. Never in his life has Neil felt this much love in a room, and not a single one of them were stuck with him. They just decided that they wanted him there. 

And, like a magnet, Neil’s gaze kept moving to Andrew. He still needs to talk with him about what happened at Edens Twilight and ask him why he pressured Kevin to include Neils design, but for now he’s content just to see the reliable black clad figure. Always the calm in the center of the storm.

By the time the makeup and hair is almost done and people are starting to take their seats out in the venue, the day is still going suspiciously well. 

“Something has to go wrong,” Neil says in disbelief to Dan. He’s standing at the bottom of the stairs where the models are starting to line up. They’ll be going up the stairs into the mansions grand hallway, where most of the guests are seated. From there, they will walk into the sitting room and circle back. The baroque styled, frilly venue had been chosen as a contrast to the sleek designs that made up the collection. It was a slightly run down old manor house with silk wallpaper from the early 20th century gracing the walls. Neil had helped Kevin look, and he was ridiculously pleased with the fact that Kevin chose it. Although, he probably chose it because Andrew had given it a nod of approval rather than because Neil liked it. He was pleased anyway.

Dan laughs. “I know, it never goes this well. Usually a hem tears or a gown suddenly doesn’t fit an hour before the show. But let’s cross our fingers that our luck holds.”

Neil nods, but he has a sinking feeling in his stomach that it won’t.

The cue that the show is nearly starting is Allison and Kevin showing up at the bottom of the stairs with the rest of the models. Neither of them look flustered in the slightest, despite the many shouts for their attention. Kevin sidles up to Neil and looks him up and down critically.

“You’ll do. Nicky did a good job.”

Neil snorts. His new wardrobe came back from Abby in the nick of time, and he’s wearing a charcoal three piece suit with a matching charcoal shirt and a gold brocade vest. Nicky had cried when he put it on, like it was his wedding day or something. From across the room Matt gives him a beaming thumbs up and Allison mouths something that he doesn’t catch but makes Dan laugh. He feels himself blush, so he watches the models to hide it.

There’s a feeling of pride rising in his chest as he looks at the finished pieces. 

Never has he been a part of something so large, or something that was so close to his heart. He can hear the noise of a large crowd up the stairs and he can barely keep the grin in check. Kevin elbows him softly to catch his attention.

“Come,” he tells Neil, already walking up the stairs.

He leads them to the grand hallway, just behind the doorway that the models will come out of. The line of chairs are already full with big names that even Neil can recognize. They’re chatting amiably, like there aren’t a million cameras going off. He can see an even larger crowd in the sitting room, and yet more noise is coming from outside where guests are still arriving on the red carpet. It’s overwhelming and incredible and magnificent and Neil is certain that he made the right decision to stay.

By the time they’ve made it back down the stairs, Andrew and Renee have come back from wherever they disappeared to. It’s funny to see the staff all dressed up, even though they dress nicely for work every day. Andrew is wearing a full black suit with an asymmetrical vest. It reminds Neil of the jacket he designed for this collection. The thought nearly makes him trip on the stairs.

The show itself passes far faster than Neil would have expected. Nicky is still walking around, constantly updating their feed to keep viewers in the loop and Dan has an earpiece in to help her direct the models. She sends each of them up the stairs with a gentle push and a grin.

Neil almost wishes that he could watch the show from a seat, but he stands between Kevin and Allison who both explain what is happening as it progresses. 

They peel off to walk the runway at the end and Neil can hear the enormous applause, which the rest of the team joins in through the finale. Neil has relaxed, but that knot of dread is still in his stomach. As the models stream back in, he waits anxiously for Kevin and Allison to come back to the safety of the downstairs. It’s a silly thing, since they will all be milling around and chatting throughout the after party anyway, but he wishes that he could keep an eye on his people while it’s so crowded.

The applause downstairs stutters when Allison reappears, Kevin pale and shocked looking beside her. Her hand his gripping his arm and she looks furious. Renee and Andrew fight their way through the models as soon as they see them, Renee with a calm but determined look on her face. She says something briefly to Kevin, then gently rubs Allisons arm to soothe the anger the radiates off of her.

Neil shares a look with Allison, then works his way over to Kevin as well.

He’s leaning heavily on the wall, his tall frame dwarfed by his terror.

“What happened,” Andrew says harshly. Kevin’s breathe wheezes in his chest. “Kevin, what happened.”

“Riko’s here,” he says finally, sounding winded. All of Neil’s air leaves his lungs, but he concentrates on keeping on his feet. He can’t afford to lose his mind while Kevin is panicking so obviously. It would betray the fact that he knows the Moriyama’s too quickly to everyone in the vicinity. The entire team knew about Kevin and Riko’s past, it wouldn’t take long for them to put 2 and 2 together if Neil had a panic attack at the base of the stairs.

“How did he get in?” Neil asks once he’s certain that his voice won’t betray him.

Disgust twists Andrew’s face in a shocking show of emotion. “He has a vested interest in the company, nothing is stopping him from having a little visit.”

Kevin looks to be on the verge of tears. “I can’t do it Andrew, I can’t go back. Oh God, oh God.”

“Kevin” Andrew has a firm hold of his lapel in an effort to keep him standing. “Kevin, listen to me. You will not go back. Even if he asks you. Even if he orders you to. They need you here, remember? Ichirou needs this company to do well, and it won’t without you. So you can’t go back.”

Kevin nods and Andrew pulls a flask out of his vest pocket. Kevin grabs it and takes a few swigs, drinking like it’s water. Neil can smell the vodka from where he’s standing, and he grimaces at the scent.

Andrew slowly lets go, holding his hands up in case Kevin topples. There’s a tense moment while they watch Kevin get a hold of himself, then he nods firmly. 

“You two will stick by?” he asks, his voice the shell of his usual tone. Neil is surprised to be included in the ‘security detail’ along with Andrew, but he nods anyway.

“Into the frying pan…” Andrew mutters as they follow Kevin back into the fray.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Neil confronts Riko.
> 
> Let me know if you need definitions for any of the terms:) Thanks for reading!


End file.
